The charming rural scene pictured above actually contains 50 tons of discarded water bottles and sandwich containers, which were blended up and refashioned into this 90-foot-long plastic bridge.

According to maker Vertech, which assembled the project with the help of teams from Rutgers university in the US and Cardiff uni, the bridge took a total of two weeks to put in place over the Tweed River in Peebleshire — including fabricating the thing off-site and the four days it took to lower the completed sections into place.

And it ought to be a winning water feature. It doesn't require painting, won't rust, plus if no one likes it or global warming dries up the river bed and renders it obsolete, it can be re-recycled into something else. Like plastic bottles. [Wired via World Architecture News via Gizmodo UK]